Cloth-clamp



Patented Oct. 4, 1921 1. E. BERRY.

CLOTH CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED IULY13, 1920.

Waw

'T 0 all tohom it may concern-.2

UNITED, STA

JOSEPH nvnn'r BERRY, or CARTHAGE, ISSOURI,

CLOTH-CLAMP.

Application filed my 13,

- Be it known that'I, JosnrrrEvnnrBER Y, citizenao'f theUnited States, residing at Garthagefln the county of Jasper and State of Missouri,'have invented anew and useful Qloth Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a clamp designed to hold the ends of cloth firmly while'it is being stretched on a table, bolt at a time,

preparatory to' cutting. I I 1 One of the ob'ects of the invention 1s to provide a clamp which will hold efliciently 'a few thicknesses of cloth or a number of thicknessesso that a number of parts can be cut at onetime. v

A still-further object is to providesimple means whereby the-connection between'the clamping member-and its operating means can be quickly changed so as to adjust the apparatus for use in connection with either a thick pile of cloth or athin pile.

A still further object is to provide a clamping device which can be quickly applied and released and leavethe top. of the table free from incumbrance and which device, when placed in position, will automatically set the operating mechanism so as to exert the proper'leverage.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination' and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit 'of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a cutting table having the present improvements combined therewith, a portion of one of the arms of the clamp being broken away. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Specification of Lettersj Patent. I Patented Oct 4 1921' Serial No. 396,032.

'clampingbar 9. This bar has its lower surface covered with felt or other suitable soft material indicated at'lO-and a handle 11 is secured on topof the bar preferably at the center thereof. I

' The lower ends of the arms 8 are secured to the ends of a cross bar 12 which extends under the table and between the supports -2'and3. H Extending downwardly from the end'of the table is a guide loop 13 one side of which is provided with ratchet teeth, as indicated at 14. A lever 15 extends through the loop 13 and is fulcrumed, at 16, upon the rear support 4.- The front end of the lever has a handle 17 and extending laterally from the lever is a lip 18 adapted to engage any oneof the teeth 14. p

1 The rear end of the rear or short arm of mounted arms 8 secured to the ends of 'a' the 1ever'15 is connected by a link 19 to the an enlargement '22 adapted to overhang the bar 12 and pivotally connected to this enlargement is a spacing block 23. A spring 24 connects the rear end of the lever 20 to the base of the support Land serves normally to hold the two levers'positioned with the handle 17 elevated V hen it is desired to use this device the handle 11 is pulled upwardly so as to lift the clamping bar 9 away from the table 1. Thesaid bar is then swung forwardly past the end of the table, thereby supportingthe bar 12in a vertical plane extending back of the block 23. The ends of the cloth to be spread are then laid on the end of the table 1. The operator then takes holdof the handle 11 and brings the clamping bar 9 back over the table and allows-the bar to rest upon the cloth. This operation is repeated until the cloth reaches a given height. 'If there are not many thicknesses of cloth this movement will allow the bar 12 to swing forwardly under the block 25 and by then push ing downwardly on the handle 17 the levers will thrust through the block 23 against the bar 12 and cause the clamp 9 to bind tightly on the fabric. The parts can be held by placing the lip 18 into engagement with one of the teeth 14. I

Should there be a number of thicknesses of cloth on the table-1 the same operation is repeated only, when the bar 9 is swung back 20 will come against the barv 12 instead of Y the spacing block 23. By providing this spacing block, however, practically the same range of movement is permitted by the hanidle 17 during the clamping operation whether the clamp 9 is acting upona thick pile of V material or;a thin pile.

.It willof course be understood that as soon-as the clamping operation is completed and; the material has been cut, the parts will be returned'autOmatiCaHyto their elevated positions by the spring 24, itbeing necessary, of course, first to shift the lever 15 laterally to disengage the lip'18' from the teeth 14. 7 By providing the elt pad 10 any 'slight unevenness in the top of the table V will be taken care of.

i What is claimed is:' I v 1. The combination with a cutting table, ofa clamping membertiltably and slidably connected thereto and including a clamping bar and a cross bar, a lever overhanging the cross bar, means for actuating said lever,

and a spacingblock pivotally connected to the lever and movable tozposition between the lever-and the cross bar.

2. The combination with a cutting table, of, a clamping member pivotally and slidably connected thereto, said member including" a clamping bar extendingacross the table and .a cross bar extending transversely under the table, a lever overhanging the cross bar, means for actuating the lever to bind the clamping bar uponmaterial on the table, meansffor locking said lever against return'movement, and a spacing block ivot- 'allyconnected to the lever and mova le to position, between said leverand the cross bar.

. 3. The combination with a cutting table,

of a lever arranged thereunder, a spacing block pivotallyconnected to and depending from the lever, means for actuating said lever, a clamplng bar, a cross bar, slidable and pivotal connections between the clampmg and cross bars, said cross bar'belng movable, at one elevation, against the spacing block for engagement by the lever and, at

another elevation, into position under the cross block for engagement by said block.

4. The combination witha-cutting table,

of guide loops swiveledat the sides thereof, arms slidably mounted within and revoluble with the loops, a clampingbar; connecting the arms at one end, arcross bar con necting thearms at the other end,an]operating lever, and means, including a spacing block, for transmitting motion, from said operating lever to the cross barto shift'the clamping bar toward the table, said spacing block being movable into and out',of operative position relative to the cross bar. v.

5. The combination-with a cutting table and guide members swiveled at the ;sides thereof, of a clamping structure slidable within and movable with said guide members, said structure includinga clampingv bar extending transversely over the table and across bar extending transversely under the table,,a n operatlng lever, 'a-power trans,-

mitting lever connected thereto, a block piv-.

otally connected to and normally depending from the power transmitting lever, said block being movable bygravity to position above thecross bar when the clamping bar is in lowermost position, meanslfor swing-i ing the clamping structure to bring the transversebar against the block to shiftsaid block out of the path thereof when the clamping bar is in uppermost position, and

against movement in one direction. V

In testimony thatl'claim the foregoing as m own, I have heretoaflixed my signature 1n the presence of two witnesses. E

- S HEV BT BERRY;

Witnesses CLAYTON SMITH, ANNE 'AVERBY.

means for holding the operatingglever 7 

